Leaf traits of natural populations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Adiantum reniforme</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">sinensis</Emphasis>, endemic to the Three Gorges region in China

Leaf mass per unit area (LMA), carbon and nitrogen contents, leaf construction cost, and photosynthetic capacity (P _max) of Adiantum reniforme var. sinensis, an endangered fern endemic to the Three Gorges region in southwest China, were compared in five populations differing in habitat such as soil moisture and irradiance. The low soil moisture and high irradiance habitat population exhibited significantly higher LMA, area-based leaf construction (CC_A), and carbon content (C_A), but lower leaf nitrogen content per unit dry mass (N_M) than the other habitat populations. The high soil moisture and low irradiance habitat populations had the lowest CC_A, but their cost/benefic ratios of CCA/P _max were similar to the medium soil moisture and irradiance habitat population due to their lower leaf P _max. Hence A. reniforme var. sinensis prefers partially shaded, moist but well-drained, slope habitats. Due to human activities, however, its main habitats now are cliffs or steeply sloped bare rocks with poor and thin soil. The relatively high energy requirements and low photosynthetic capacity in these habitats could limit the capability of the species in extending population or interspecific competition and hence increase its endangerment.     

One-year survey of a single Micronesian reef reveals extraordinarily rich diversity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Symbiodinium</Emphasis> types in soritid foraminifera

Recent molecular studies of symbiotic dinoflagellates (genus Symbiodinium) from a wide array of invertebrate hosts have revealed exceptional fine-scale symbiont diversity whose distribution among hosts, regions and environments exhibits significant biogeographic, ecological and evolutionary patterns. Here, similar molecular approaches using the internal transcribed spacer-2 (ITS-2) region were applied to investigate cryptic diversity in Symbiodinium inhabiting soritid foraminifera. Approximately 1,000 soritid specimens were collected and examined during a 12-month period over a 40 m depth gradient from a single reef in Guam, Micronesia. Out of 61 ITS-2 types distinguished, 46 were novel. Most types found are specific for soritid hosts, except for three types (C1, C15 and C19) that are common in metazoan hosts. The distribution of these symbionts was compared with the phylotype of their foraminiferal hosts, based on soritid small subunit ribosomal DNA sequences, and three new phylotypes of soritid hosts were identified based on these sequences. Phylogenetic analyses of 645 host-symbiont pairings revealed that most Symbiodinium types associated specifically with a particular foraminiferal host genus or species, and that the genetic diversity of these symbiont types was positively correlated with the genetic diversity found within each of the three host genera. Compared to previous molecular studies of Symbiodinium from other locations worldwide, the diversity reported here is exceptional and suggests that Micronesian coral reefs are home to a remarkably large Symbiodinium assemblage.     

A low copy number cosmid

A low copy number cosmid was constructed by subcloning the pair of cos sites and the kanamycin resistance gene of pcos2EMBL into pGB2. The resulting cosmid, pPR691, has the pSC101 replicon and specifies resistance to kanamycin, spectinomycin, and streptomycin. pPR691 also carries restriction sites suitable for cloning partial Sau3A digests using the strategy of Bates and Swift (P. F. Bates and R. A. Swift, 1983, Gene 26, 137-146). A library of Salmonella typhimurium chromosomal DNA was made using this cosmid and the rfb gene cluster (map position 42) was isolated from this library.     

Lanthanum relieves salinity-induced oxidative stress in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saussurea involucrata</Emphasis>

Changes in growth, physiological and biochemical characteristics under salt stress with or without La³⁺ treatment in Saussurea involucrata Kar. et Kir. were investigated. The results showed that La³⁺ relieved the plant growth inhibition, improved the leaf water potential and water content, increased the soluble protein and the proline contents and decreased malondialdehyde content under salt stress. Further, addition of La³⁺ significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, and glutathione reductase, decreased the photosynthetic pigment decomposition and increased the ratio of total chlorophyll to carotenoids under salt stress.     

Seasonal composition and temporal succession of necrophagous and predator beetles on pig carrion in central Argentina

Insects are the most important components of the terrestrial fauna associated with carrion because they recycle organic matter back into the ecosystem. They can be classified into four ecological categories comprising: necrophages; parasites and predators of necrophagous species; omnivores, and incidentals. To determine the composition and temporal succession of necrophagous and predator beetles on pig carrion, four experiments, one in each season, were carried out during 2004 in a rural area of Cordoba, central Argentina. Two pigs (Sus scrofa L.), weighing approximately 8 kg each, were used in each of the four experiments. The animals were killed by a sharp blow to the head and immediately placed in an appropriate trap. One pig was placed in the shade and the other in direct sunlight. Beetle fauna were collected daily during the first 4 weeks and thereafter every 2 or 3 days. Five stages of decomposition were observed and a total of 1586 adults and 4309 immatures of Coleoptera belonging to the Staphylinidae, Nitidulidae, Cleridae, Dermestidae, Histeridae, Anthicidae and Trogidae families were collected during the four experiments. The necrophagous community was represented by Dermestes maculates (De Geer), nitidulid species and members of the Trox genus. Staphylinidae, Cleridae and Histeridae species were considered to be the main predators of the necrophagous species.     

The displacement of copper by iron at the specific binding sites of ovotransferrin

We have examined the kinetics and mechanism by which iron can displace copper at the specific metal-binding sites of ovotransferrin. Fe2+ was added to Cu2+-ovotransferrin-CO3(2-) in the presence of NaHCO3 and ambient O2. The reaction has been followed by standard and stopped-flow spectrophotometry, EPR spectroscopy and analysis of chromogen-reactive Fe2+. The reaction is best described as triphasic. An initial jump in absorbance takes place in the first 2 s. In the next minute there is a further increase in absorbance and shift in the spectral maximum from 440 to 446 nm. The third phase is complex. The bulk of the spectrophotometric change, a decrease in absorbance with a shift to a maximum of 453 nm, lasts approx. 3 min. Minor spectral and EPR changes, however, take place over the next several hours. Chromogenic analysis of Fe2+ indicates that approx. 1 min is required to oxidize the Fe2+. EPR spectra reveal the formation of an Fe3+-ovotransferrin complex within the first 20 s; however, this lacks the characteristic doublet of specific Fe3+-ovotransferrin-CO3(2-). The simultaneous presence of specific Cu2+-ovotransferrin-CO3(2-) and Fe3+-ovotransferrin-CO3(2-) signals suggests a period in which the protein specifically binds both metal ions perhaps resulting from a differential reactivity of the two metal-binding sites. The addition of Cu(NO3)2 to Fe3+-ovotransferrin-CO3(2-) resulted in a complex with specific Fe3+ and non-specific Cu2+. The EPR spectrum of this complex and the final product of our displacement reaction were virtually identical. Distinct parallels in reaction of Cu2+-ovotransferrin-CO3(2-) with Fe(NH4)2(SO4)2, Fe(NO3)3 and Fe3+-nitrilotriacetic acid were observed. A reaction sequence involving the binding and oxidation of non-specific Fe2+ followed by Cu2+ displacement by Fe3+ at the specific sites and binding of non-specific Cu2+ is suggested.